Career Taster Experiences for Year 9s
Twenty eight students have taken the plunge and participated in four different excursions to complete practical activities and experience life at our TAFE campuses and private training colleges in recent weeks. They all enjoyed their taste of life after school and were exposed to training systems and possible career pathways. They were even prepared to attend one day on a pupil free day and always on Fridays to be back at school two hours after normal early closing. Now that is Commitment!
The sessions included designing and drawing Computer Animation at the Perth Central Campus, building a wall of bricks at the Thornlie South Metro TAFE campus, completing carpentry projects, also in the Thornlie workshop, and finally, travelling to the Everthought Construction headquarters at Cannington to practise laying cement pavements.
It was compulsory for the students to wear high vis fluoro work shirts and steel capped boots and for carpentry, safety glasses. This reinforced real world working requirements and additionally attention was paid by TAFE lecturers to teach introductory Workplace Health and Safety- so students put their best steel capped boots forward as they put their toes into the training world beyond school! We plan to host a Safety White Card course for this group in Term 1 in 2026 to formalise their safety training requirements so they can be aware of their own and others safety and access jobs and training.
The Bricklaying and Carpentry workshops were of three days duration and this emphasised to students the need to be reliable and keep showing up at work when the novelty of a new experience has worn off. The three-day programs also proved that sitting in a desk at school is less physically demanding than working in a trade. It can be hard work to use tools and your brain to solve problems and to be creative in making a product. But, if you want to transition from school successfully to a pre-apprenticeship or an apprenticeship in the WA economy, in which 45% of all jobs are mining related…then you do need to leave the air conditioning behind and head out to the workshops.
Another of those vital work readiness skills is being on time, also called punctuality.
The students needed to be on the bus at 7.50 and buses left at 8pm. Only three people failed to make the deadline over the 9 days of training. One student subsequently had to organise a family member to drive them to Thornlie. It was interesting to observe the link between being on time, being well organised and dressed appropriately and student responsiveness during lecturer training sessions. In other words, be on time to benefit from new opportunities.
Most of the excursions were in school buses driven by a range of volunteer staff.
We wish to acknowledge the volunteering spirit of staff drivers; Duncan Finlay, Shayni Nelson, Brad Francis, Alex Borserini, Matt Gorton, Josh Findlater and in double measure, Mr Ronnie Naidoo.
Notably, the only time we had a problem with transport was when we booked a taxi to return from the Carpentry Program and when, despite an advance, written booking, the taxi was nearly 90 minutes late. Our apologies to the students and parents and staff who were inconvenienced by this. We were very disappointed by the taxi company and did send messages to parents about the delay.
As well, we need to thank staff who volunteered to help supervise the different excursions and re-organised their teaching plans to be active members of the groups; Laura Willougby, Nick Hughes, Hudson Huang, Kayla Stokes and Preeti Nandel and Liz McLachlan. Mrs Mclachlan, whose husband is a Perth builder, and her son is a carpenter – was really very helpful on our excursions and had some positive and knowledgeable advice for our students.
The students all received Certificates from the school and hopefully the TAFE acknowledgements are in the mail. Keep these certificates in a portfolio so they can be used to support applications for TAFE Courses and Apprenticeships and general employment vacancies.
We came, we did it, we can all do it and have fun while we do it. There were many smiling faces captured on camera during our excursions.
Already next year we have booked an excursion to a Plumbing and Painting training company in late February and are trying to pin down more opportunities in hairdressing and animation.
Stars of this year’s programs included Carter M, Lilly B, Tyler A, Alex W, Euan S and Elvis M. There is a big wide world of opportunities just beyond the horizon and a pot of gold ahead for these people.
Well done to all our participants and a special thank you to Miss Stokes for tracking down the placements and completing the wide-ranging paperwork required to venture out. Thanks again and best wishes to everyone. Yes, we did it! Bring on 2026.
Alyson McIntyre
Careers and VET Co-ordinator
